Odd New Game

[orcsorcerer]

All right, I'm new to the joining this forum, but I am not knew to DND. I have a group of players, two of my sisters and a neighbor. My one sister broke up with her boyfriend, the other player, though he passed some insight and I don't remember what it was because it was a questionnaire and lost the actual votes, but I have the results. We had passed judgement on each other, saying what class, race, and background we were, I'll present the list soon. However, we voted on a campaign in the wilderness, and the party was just thrown together. We are starting at first level. The problem though is what class features were voted on. It feels like I have to completely change the way classes work. The vote came out for top three of fey, elemental, and tattoo. Basically, characters make an alliance with a nature spirit, and the element that spirit represents (classical elements) is turned into a tattoo representing their element on some part of their body. The problem is the classes we had been given. Races aren't a problem, its how much change do I have to make. The classes, subclasses, races, backgrounds, and elements given to us will be listed below. Element specialization is incredibly difficult to work with game wise, so that's not included here.
Orc Fighter Eldritch Knight Sage Earth (sand)
Drow Monk Way of the Shadow Entertainer Fire
Gold Dragonborn Bard College of Lore Hermit Air
Tiefling Barbarian/Rogue Totem/Assassin Criminal Fire

The other character I don't even remember. However, my problem is should I completely nix subclass or class altogether, because I think that might completely disrupt how gameplay works? Not to mention, maybe everyone gets the Pact of the Archfey abilities, but altered for their element? I don't know what should be done, however the only thing I know I can do is world creation. So, any insight into this will be perfectly fine, thanks for your time.

[eleazzaar]

I think you need to more carefully explain what you are trying to do, and why you are trying to do it.

I'm completely confused about what you want to know and the context of the question, and generally what many of the sentances have to do with each other.

[Ralanr]

I think you need to more carefully explain what you are trying to do, and why you are trying to do it.

I'm completely confused about what you want to know and the context of the question, and generally what many of the sentances have to do with each other.

This.

And this doesn't sound like homebrew.

[Ninja_Prawn]

I'm completely confused about what you want to know and the context of the question, and generally what many of the sentances have to do with each other.

I love you, eleazzaar. You say what we're all thinking.

[orcsorcerer]

Sorry about that guys, I was just waking up when I wrote it. Homebrew was closest to my predicament.
Okay, so there was a questionnaire I found online and decided to use it to make a new campaign. My problem is my players voted on the class features section (which the top three is to be combined into some sort of main theme for the game) was fey (use of nature spirits for class features), tattoos (use of magical or psionic tattoos for class features), and elemental (avatar the last airbender/legend of korra). So, my problem is this; am I to get rid of subclasses altogether and build elemental subclasses for all the different classes. Such as one character is a bard college of lore with air as her element. Another is an eldritch knight, and got earth. So my problem is, should I get rid of magic completely and have the classes style the form of element control? I mean, what're your ideas here?

[eleazzaar]

So, my problem is this; am I to get rid of subclasses altogether and build elemental subclasses for all the different classes. Such as one character is a bard college of lore with air as her element. Another is an eldritch knight, and got earth. So my problem is, should I get rid of magic completely and have the classes style the form of element control? I mean, what're your ideas here?

That sounds like the most labourious way you could approach it.

I would instead go mostly for refluffing. "Refluffing" is where you take an existing mechanic and leave the numbers and rules, but change the description. So you take your lore-bard, and only allow him to have spells or other magical class features that you re-explain as something based on fey spririts, tatooes, or control of air. So for instance "viscious mockery" you simply replace with first sentance with this:

You summon 13 tiny. ghostly fey that moan bloodchilling and distracting wails. and swirl around a creature you can see within range.

Spells are a little trickier, since all the elements are not equally represented. First make sure to allow the Elemental Evil Player's Companion (free on the web) because it has a lot more elemental spells. "Feather Fall" "Sleep" (oxygen deprivation), and "Fly" can easily be explained as Air bending, but what if the bard wants to take "Fireball"? You relable it "Thunder Blast" and switch the fire damage to thunder damage.

[Ninja_Prawn]

So, my problem is this; am I to get rid of subclasses altogether and build elemental subclasses for all the different classes. Such as one character is a bard college of lore with air as her element. Another is an eldritch knight, and got earth. So my problem is, should I get rid of magic completely and have the classes style the form of element control? I mean, what're your ideas here?

Well, taking on huge homebrew projects can be fun (I might have a look at 'the elements' once I'm done with chronomancy), but it's probably not necessary in this case.

The first thing you should do is take a look at the Elemental Evil Player's Companion. It contains a wealth of elemental-themed spells and races.

If that doesn't help, I might humbly suggest that you have a look at my own fey homebrew (part 1, part 2); see if you can find any inspiration there.

As for tattoos, there is a precedent - dragonmarks from UA Eberron, which use the same mechanics as feats.

Hope that helps.

[orcsorcerer]

Thanks a lot guys, I thought it was going to be a little tougher than that. ^^